Wednesday, July 11, 2007

HBO creating an Ohio State vs Michigan Documentary

I got an interesting e-mail forward from the world's coolest older sister this morning and thought it was definitely newsworthy.

Apparently, HBO is planning to release a documentary on the Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry. The expected release date is Tuesday, November 13th, the Tuesday before the game itself.

The following is the e-mail received:

For Immediate Release

HBO SPORTS BEGINS PRODUCTION ON ITS FIRST-EVER COLLEGE FOOTBALLDOCUMENTARY, EXAMINING THE RIVALRYBETWEEN OHIO STATE AND MICHIGAN, DEBUTING NOV. 13

NEW YORK, July 10, 2007 - HBO Sports has begun production on adocumentary chronicling the rivalry of Ohio State and the University ofMichigan, one of the most glorious rivalries in college footballhistory, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBOSports. Steeped in a rich tradition dating back to their inauguralmeeting in 1897, this rivalry extends beyond the pursuit of a Big TenTitle, on both sides engendering team pride and spirit rarely equaledelsewhere. Presented four days before the Ohio State Buckeyes take onthe Michigan Wolverines at Ann Arbor this fall, the documentary debutsTUESDAY, NOV. 13 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Each year, the football programs at Ohio State and Michigan gear up witha common goal: to beat their archrival on the third weekend in November,no matter the rankings, no matter the score. Widely considered collegefootball's biggest rivalry, these two Big Ten powerhouses frequentlydominate the standings, and routinely attract game-day crowds exceeding100,000. On Nov. 18, 2006, more than 105,000 fans watched No. 1 OhioState defeat No. 2 Michigan by a score of 42-39, with an additional 21.8million tuning in on TV.

"This film will split the viewers right down the middle," saidGreenburg. "The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is considered one of themost compelling in college football history, consuming not only theMidwest, but the nation. Spanning more than a century, with names likeBo Schembechler and Woody Hayes, Archie Griffin and Desmond Howard, thecharacters and storylines of this yearly showdown are memorable. Sothere is no better place for HBO Sports to delve into the collegefootball realm than with these two extraordinary programs."

Separated by only 200 miles, Ohio State University and the University ofMichigan began their football rivalry in 1897. U of M won that firstgame 34-0 and dominated the series until 1919, when the Buckeyes turnedthe tables, winning 13-3. Since then, the two teams have remained fairlyevenly matched, with Michigan leading the series 57-40-6. Historically,the match-up has often determined who will win the Big Ten title, aprime bowl spot, and even the Heisman Trophy.

Exploring the exuberant personalities of coaches like Woody Hayes and BoSchembechler, who sat with HBO for his last long-form interview beforehis death last year, the documentary traces the importance of the gamefor each university, as well as the larger sports' world. A high-profilelist of interviewees will weigh in on the intense rivalry.

Unlike many other sports rivalries, the Ohio State-Michigan face-off hasnot only endured, but is growing. The Wall Street Journal notes, "Thegame continues to carry the most genuine mark of a great rivalry: Thefeud between the two schools injects itself into everything frombusiness and politics to an annual blood drive where volunteers from thetwo campuses vie to see which side can siphon the most plasma."

Executive producers of the documentary are Ross Greenburg and RickBernstein; produced by George Roy.

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About Me

My name is Ryan Pfefferle, and I'm a freshman Journalism and Economics student at Ohio University. I love disc golf, music, and the Ohio State Buckeyes among many other things. I'm probably a little bit insane, and I'm far from perfect, but I'm just with that. My e-mail is pfef73@gmail.com if you would like to find out more.